Under Fire: A Florida Glaze Hockey Romance, page 13
“Are you kidding? That bunk bed contraption thing was a huge hit. I didn’t think they were ever going to sleep. They kept running up the stairs, bouncing across the bed, and sliding down the other side. They finally knocked out together on the bottom bunk. Did you see that’s a full-sized mattress? So much for having two different beds for sleep overs.”
“Don’t sound so shocked. If I had a slide in my room, I’d stay up all night using it, too. You’d probably find me passed out on the floor at the bottom of it.”
“I have found you passed out next to the toilet after a night out before.”
“Life is too short to waste.” I can imagine her waving her hand at me, dismissing my criticism. “On nights out or room slides.”
“I admit, I am kind of jealous Sutton got the good bed. All I got was the world’s most comfortable mattress.”
“Seriously, though. Did you see Kody’s room?”
I think for a second, knowing I toured the pool house. Did we get sidetracked in the kitchen? “Now that you say that, I don’t think I got that far.” Suddenly I feel the intense desire to see what I missed.
Jumping up from the table, I shove my feet into my discarded slippers and carefully slide the back door open making sure not to spill any of the liquid gold in my mug.
The kids are laughing as Kody tries to push Sutton on the swing. It keeps twisting and going sideways, ultimately knocking him over every time it swings back. They’re getting way too much entertainment out of it, but at least they’re having fun.
“Do you need more coffee?” Ellie asks and I know she can see me coming through the window.
“You plan on greeting me at your door with a fresh pot?”
“Hell no. I’m fancier than that. I found a carafe in the cabinet.”
Sure enough, I barely make it to her front stoop—who knew a pool house would have an actual stoop?—when the door flies open, Ellie holds a fancy looking pitcher in one hand.
I click my phone off and slide it into the pocket of my nightshirt and hold out my mug for a top-off. She immediately complies.
“The fanciest part of this scene is you wearing your ratty bathrobe while holding a decanter that’s worth more than my car.”
“Your math is so far off,” she says shutting the door behind me. “It’s worth more than both our cars combined.”
“Cheers to that.”
We clink mugs and sip simultaneously, beginning to feel more human now that we’re on our second dose.
I follow Ellie into her new humble abode, noticing details I didn’t see yesterday during the chaos of moving. Like the beautiful light fixtures over a solid wood dining table. And the marble countertops in the kitchen. And the huge windows that overlook the backyard just like mine do, except from the opposite angle.
“This place is unreal,” I marvel. “Do you think he had the designer do all this?”
Ellie shakes her head. “Nope. I looked up the pictures while they were still online and this is exactly what it looked like. I mean the couches were changed out but except for the bedrooms, this is the furniture it came with and everything. That dining table was left by the previous owners.”
“And I thought we lucked out finding a ratty couch that only smelled a little when we moved into our apartment.”
“Welcome to the lifestyles of the rich and famous, baby. Fully furnished means something completely different now. Speaking of…” she gestures for me to follow her down the hall where there are two bedrooms and a full bath between them.
The room on the left looks a lot like mine, except smaller. And Ellie hasn’t made her bed yet while mine was done the second I got up. Force of habit from my childhood, I suppose.
The room on the right…
“Holy. Shit,” I breathe, not believing my eyes. “Does he have a real fire truck in here?”
I don’t think it’s real because it’s small enough to fit in this room, but the likeness is uncanny, down to the paint job and logo.
“It might as well be. Check it out.” Ellie moves closer to give me the up close and personal view. She opens a double door on the side of the truck and…. “Voila. Bed number one is in here.”
“No way.” I push her over so I can see inside and sure enough, there’s a twin mattress and some shelves built into the side.
“Yes way. He can get in through this door. Or he can get in the front of the cab and climb through that sliding door to get back here. And if he doesn’t feel like sleeping on the bottom…” She gestures to a ladder at the back of the truck. It looks just like they have in real life, except smaller.
“This is the coolest bed I’ve ever seen,” I muse.
“Yeah, well, it’s not going to be cool forever. The siren really works.”
“Oh shit,” I say with a laugh.
“And it’s loud. There’s a reason I let Kody bunk with Sutton last night and it has everything to do with how many times I thought emergency services were on their way yesterday. I could kill Tucker for that part.”
I sigh as I peek out the window to see the kids happily playing in the yard still. I love that they have grass and a swing set and a pool. But I just can’t get over this feeling that it’s all going to be short lived.
“What’s wrong?” Ellie always could read my moods.
“Am I the only one who feels like this is too good to be true. Like this whole thing is just a fluke and is going to end badly.”
“That’s just your trust issues talking again.” Ellie tries to be dismissive about it, but her words fall flat.
“Seriously, El. What happens if we get too comfortable and have to leave again?”
She shrugs like it doesn’t concern her in the least. “We leave again.”
“That doesn’t bother you?”
“Not really. I’m living in an amazing place rent free for the next however long so I can bank almost everything I make. Really beef up my savings for when I need it. You should be doing the same. Better yet, you should be banking child support and going back to school to get that law degree you always wanted.”
My finger taps the side of my mug absentmindedly. “I’m not sure I really want it anymore.”
“What? Since when?”
I glance out the window again, watching the two kids I love more than anything as they giggle and squeal and enjoy their childhood. It’s not something I want to miss.
“I guess since recently. Law school is tough and takes a lot of work. And then interning at a law firm and studying to pass the bar. I’m not sure I want to miss out on Sutton’s life any more than I already do.”
Ellie narrows her eyes, assessing me. “Why do I feel like you have a guilty conscience for wanting to stay home with her for a while?”
“Because I do. What kind of message is that sending to her? That I’m putting off my career ambitions to be Suzie Homemaker?”
She lifts her hand loosely, palm up. “One that says you have a choice to do what makes you happy regardless of what anyone else thinks.”
“And what happens if it doesn’t work out between me and Tucker?”
Ellie takes a quick sip before laying into me. “You sure have a lot of what-ifs for someone who moved in yesterday. Let me add some more. What happens if Tucker dies. Or gets horrifically injured in an accident. Or you fall in love and then he comes out of the closet. Or he invests all his money in bad business investments…”
“Okay, okay, I get it.”
Ellie moves closer and puts her free hand on my shoulder. “Lacy, there’s no guarantees on anything. Not on this. Not on the future. Hell, there were no guarantees when we moved into that shit hole together, but we took the plunge and did it anyway. I know you have a hard time trusting people. I know that. But you’re looking for red flags where there aren’t any because you’re scared.”
“But—
“No buts,” she interrupts. “If you want to quit working and stay home with Sutton full time, go for it. I’m not going to be mad about the free childcare.” My lips quirk up a bit recognizing her attempt at humor. “And if you want to put the kids in daycare and go back to school, do it. Let’s say you get halfway done and the bottom drops out here and you have to go back to work. So what? You’re still closer to your degree than you are now, right? And if the bottom doesn’t drop out, you end up with everything you ever wanted. Maybe more. The future is going to happen one way or the other. Are you going to take advantage of this time you have? Or are you going to stay frozen and have regrets later?”
I recognize that she makes a lot of sense. But I also know I’ve spent a lot of time trying not to turn into my parents. I know it in the way I parent with grace and forgiveness and not an iron fist demanding perfection. I know it in the way I’m quick with loving words and slow with criticizing the kids. And I know it in the career path I thought I wanted to take. I don’t want to become my mother.
She was a stay-at-home mom, living under the rules of her husband. While she used to say it’s what she wanted to do, I knew better. I could see it on her face when we’d watch television and a career woman who had the best of both worlds was spotlighted. I knew she craved more than to just follow my dad’s rules, only having purpose if he gave it to her. It always made me so angry she felt like life couldn’t be any other way. Even now, when everyone is out of the house, she’s still never done anything more with her life. Or at least that’s what I’ve been able to deduce from stalking the little bits of social media my family has. I don’t want that for myself. And I don’t want Sutton to ever think she has to have that either.
Ohmygod.
I’m exactly like my mother—frozen with fear at the unknown. Wanting something more, but passively letting it pass me by instead of taking what I want. Too worried with what could happen if I put myself out there and not worried enough about missing out.
The realization hits me like a punch to the gut. The idea of being the same kind of mom to Sutton that mine was to me makes me sad. And yet, I was forced to dig deep over the last four years and now I have a strength my mother never found. I also have something she never had—the support of a very best friend.
Taking a deep, resolved breath, I turn back to Ellie. “You really don’t mind putting the kids in daycare for a few hours a week?”
Her responding smile is all I need.
We glance out the window to see the kids twirling around until they’re so dizzy they fall to the ground.
“I think maybe some structure and planned activities might be good for them,” she says impassively and brings her mug to her lips again.
I just laugh, feeling a huge weight lift off my shoulders.
CHAPTER TWENTY
TUCKER
Somehow, some way, our team was graced with a miracle.
We have Thanksgiving Day off.
I have no idea how it happened, although I’m sure it was just luck of the draw. But to make things even better, today is unseasonably warm, even for Florida. And I have a brand new house that I’m ready to party in.
Add those three things together and a joint Thanksgiving/housewarming party was born.
This place is packed with people since basically the whole team is here. There are a few stragglers missing, mostly those who have family in the area. But since we leave early tomorrow morning for our next road trip, this was as close to a family holiday as most of us could get.
Speaking of family, I wonder where mine went?
“Hey man. Here’s a refill for you.” Nick places a beer down on the countertop next to my amazing outdoor grill. “Can I help with anything?”
As I suspected when we signed the contract, this outdoor space is the perfect place to host a bunch of people. The lounge area is comfy and comes complete with a huge outdoor television, there’s lots of space in the backyard to move around and play cornhole, and this outdoor kitchen is a dream with an oversized grill with a burner for the non-grilled foods, a built-in fridge, and enough counter space for the food to be spread out buffet style.
I glance over my shoulder to tell my teammate I’m good, but Lacy catches my eye. She’s standing next to the pool looking more like a lifeguard than a partygoer. I wonder what that’s about.
“Actually, I think I could use a hand.” I give Nick my spatula and contemplate giving him my apron but quickly decide against it. It says “Kiss the Cook” and I’m hoping I’ll be able to convince Lacy to follow up on that. “Can you take over the grill for just a few?”
“Sure. Is this the last of it?” He presses down on one of the patties and the juice that squeezes out drips into the flames, making a satisfying sizzle.
“I think there’s one more platter of hamburgers in the fridge if you don’t mind.”
“Yeah, no problem.”
“Thanks, man.”
I jog over and let myself into the pool area, wandering to the far side. Quickly, I figure out where the kids are by the squeals. They’re having a blast swimming around in their little floaty vests, wiping water out of their eyes from the waves generated by so many people in the water at once.
Lacy, on the other hand, is standing with her arms crossed, her teeth digging into her bottom lip.
“Hey. What are you doing?”
She doesn’t look up, her eyes trained on the water. “Watching the kids.”
“You don’t want to get in?”
“I don’t like swimming when I’m on my period.”
“Ah. Yeah. I get it. Don’t want to risk a shark attack.”
She punches me on my arm playfully, tearing her eyes away from the kids for just a second. When she turns back, she’s not happy about what she sees.
“Hey watch out!” Lacy yells when a game of chicken goes wrong. Patrick and his wife, who I’ve never seen up close and personal before, get knocked over and she practically falls on top of Kody. “There are kids in the pool! Don’t they see we have kids in the pool?”
“They’ll be okay,” I say gently, trying to help ease her anxiety. I’ve never seen her this nervous. “They have their floaty vests on.”
“That doesn’t mean they won’t be dunked unexpectedly and get water in their lungs. Dammit, he did it again.” She shifts back and forth on her feet, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she jumped in regardless of sharks. “Hey! Mr. Hockey Guy! Watch behind you!”
“Mr. Hockey Guy?” I snicker.
“I don’t know his name. Tucker, go get the kids.” She waves her hand their direction. “This is stressing me out.”
“Yo, Patrick!”
Our captain shakes the water off his face, glancing up at me, shading his eyes with one hand and holding a beer can in the other. He and his wife went underwater, but somehow that beer stayed dry. Go figure.
“Can you grab my kids and steer them toward the edge?”
He looks over his shoulder and startles like he’s suddenly noticing there are children in the pool with him. Dumb ass.
“Thank you,” Lacy says as she pulls them from the water, the relief evident on her face.
“I want to swim, Mommy,” Sutton complains and turns to jump back in, but I’m faster and grab her by the back of the vest.
“No more swimming,” Lacy says sternly. A much more compliant Kody lets her get him out of his vest and wrapped in a towel. “We’re going to have some hot dogs. Plus it’s too dangerous right now.”
I cock an eyebrow at her. “Don’t you think you’re over exaggerating just a bit?”
Just then, a wrestling match between Jake Vision and Anthony Stutteville ensues. They dunk each other around a few times knocking into other people, including two women that I’ve never seen before. I guess they’re someone’s “plus one”. Or maybe “plus two”. Who knows? Regardless, the women suddenly decide they want in on the action and as soon as the guys notice the women wrestling, they stop to watch. The one in the red bikini finally gets dunked, her friend in white raising her arms in victory. And as soon as red bikini comes up, we get a clear view of her boob before she rights her top.
“Oh good. A family friendly dinner and a show,” Lacy says sarcastically and purses her lips at me, obviously pointing out her concern has been proven. “You did remember dinner, right?”
“Uh….” I scratch the back of my neck as I try to remember if I thawed out the hot dogs while I was grilling everything else.
“Tucker…” Lacy shakes her head and wraps Sutton in a bright yellow towel.
“Sorry. Just an oversight. Nick is manning the grill right now, so I’ll get the hot dogs ready while you get the kids changed, does that work?”
That seems to appease her, and she starts to guide the kids off the warm pavement and toward the house. “Fine, yes. That works. Also, your friend Nick is really nice, by the way.”
“Yeah, he is. Not everyone is willing to use his truck to help us move and then help out at a party instead of…” I gesture to more rabblerousing happening in the pool. “…whatever they’re doing. He’s a great goalie, too.”
Lacy ignores the raucous behind us. “He’s the goalie? That’s so weird. I never put together his position and his name. I only see you guys in all your pads so I can’t tell who anyone is. That’s kind of cool to know the man under the mask.”
“I’ve gotten to know him a little better when we room together sometimes on our road trips. Did you know he’s the first person I told about Sutton?”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” I smile at the memory of when I first started sharing my joy with people on the team. “He was really excited for me so I’m glad he’s been able to hang out a bit and get to know her.”
“Me, too.”
We step into the cool house and kids immediately stop in their tracks, their teeth beginning to chatter.
Lacy encourages them to move forward. “Come on, friends. Let’s get you warmed up.”
“O-o-o-k-k-k-k-a-a-a-y,” Kody chatters and they all amble down the hall, trying not to trip on the towels that are bigger than they are.
I, on the other hand, find the hot dogs exactly where I left them—in the freezer.
Oops.
Thankfully, it only takes a few minutes to thaw them in the microwave before taking the reins back from Nick and popping the kids’ food on the grill. The timing is pretty perfect, as they’re just about done when the kids come scampering outside again.
